American Murder: Gabby Petito - A Detailed Review of The 2025 Netflix Docu-series

American Murder: Gabby Petito, the new, gripping, and deeply emotional three-part docu-series on Netflix, revisits one of the most widely publicized true crime cases of the last 10 years.

Through real-life footage, social media posts, and intimate journal entries, the documentary reconstructs the doomed road trip of Gabby Petito and her fiancé, Brian Laundrie, whose cross-country van-life journey slapped across headlines as a murder case.

(Disclamer: This review is based on the interpretation and analysis of American Murder: Gabby Petito, released in 2025, through which I aim to provide an insightful and fair critique. The sole intention is to highlight this docu-series' impact by respecting everyone affected by the tragedy this documentary focuses on. The docu-series deals with domestic abuse and violence, which may be distressing to some viewers, so viewer discretion is advised.)

Directed with a mix of investigative rigor and emotional nuance, the docuseries is a sequel to Netflix’s American Murder: The Family Next Door, which examined the Watts family murders. This time, the emphasis is on the dynamics of coercive control, toxic relationships, and the “highlight” version of social media that camouflaged the reality behind Gabby’s smiling posts.

Plot of American Murder: Gabby Petito

Episode 1 (We Bought a Van) depicts their seemingly perfect #VanLife adventure, which is axed by unspoken friction in their relationship. Using Gabby’s social media posts, diary entries, and police body cam footage, the documentary reveals signs of coercive control.

Episode 2 (Where is Gabby?) follows the frantic efforts to find Gabby once she disappears, which are bolstered by the involvement of the public and social media sleuths. The discovery of her remains in Wyoming shows she was killed by strangulation. Then Brian disappears, launching a nationwide manhunt.

Episode 3 (Burn After Reading) explores the shocking fallout. Brian's remains are found, alongside a notebook confession. The documentary also explores the Laundrie family’s silence, the media race, and Gabby’s family’s battle to raise awareness about domestic abuse.

How Does It Stand Out?

The Raw Inner Life and Thoughts of Gabby

One of the most impressive aspects of American Murder: Gabby Petito is that it captures Gabby’s story in her own voice. They include her social media posts, texts, and even her personal writings — recreated via an AI-generated voice clone (with family consent).

This decision also places viewers in Gabby’s point of view, making her more than a statistic of true crime. Instead, we find a young woman with ambitions and passions, toying with love and life and oblivious to the doom ahead.

Study Of Coercive Control

American Murder: Gabby Petito does not just recreate the tragic unfolding of events — it elucidates the patterns of emotional and psychological abuse that can culminate in physical violence.

Through police bodycam footage, witness testimonies , and expert interviews, Brian Laundrie’s behavior is viewed through an eye for coercive control that often goes undetected in characters like Laundrie and his girlfriend, Gabby Petito, until it is too late. This broader discussion is what helps take the documentary from another retelling of the case to a serious social critique of domestic abuse.

Power of The Socials

The Gabby Petito case became a global spectacle thanks to the internet. As TikTokers, internet sleuths, and, yes, journalists scrambled to piece together Gabby’s last known whereabouts, analyze police body camera footage, and urge authorities to take action, the social media platform was tapped as a primary source of information.

American Murder: Gabby Petito examines the ways that social media complicated the case — for better (helping find Gabby’s remains) and for worse (disseminating misinformation and conspiracy theories).

The Aftermath

The season finale of American Murder: Gabby Petito, Burn After Reading, is a harsh assessment of the fallout from the case. It delves into the Laundrie family’s silence, Brian’s own tragic conclusion, and the emotional wounds left with Gabby’s parents.

The documentary doesn’t hyperventilate about their grief but allows them space to talk about their daughter’s legacy and their battle to raise awareness about domestic violence.

A Must-Watch Because…

✔️ It’s More Than Just a True Crime Story — It’s a devastating and illuminating narrative about coercive control and emotional abuse that is important viewing for learning relationship red flags.

✔️ Actual Footage Making It Immersive — Archive stills and unfiltered raw materials — like body camera footage, text messages, and social media posts — create the sense of an in-time experience, enveloping you within Gabby’s world.

✔️ It Sparks Much-Needed Conversations – With domestic violence cases on the rise worldwide, this docuseries is a sobering reminder of how abuse doesn’t always include physical violence — it often begins with control, manipulation, and isolation.

✔️ It’s a Testament to Justice and Awareness — Through internet sleuths, journalists and publicly available information, the documentary exemplifies how the public can help justice happen in high-profile cases.

I'll Have To Give It A 9/10 ⭐ As Per True Crime Documentaries Go

Netflix’s American Murder: Gabby Petito is an impactful and debilitating watch. It doesn’t indulge in sensationalism but rather the human part of the tragedy and that Gabby must be heard.

Although the use of AI-generated voice reconstruction is slightly controversial, the documentary does a commendable job of honoring Gabby’s story and educating viewers on the dangers of coercive control.

If you like true crime and also want a documentary with a social endpoint, you shouldn’t miss American Murder: Gabby Petito.